After the success of Horizon Zero Dawn, fans had a fairly long wishlist for its successor. At the top of that list was the ability to ride flying machines. To the excitement of gamers, Guerrilla Games included flying mounts in Horizon Forbidden West through the Sunwing. After the ability to override it is unlocked, players can jump on a Sunwing's back and soar through the skies. In addition to making it easy to travel across the map, it also provides a clever way to sneak up on machines and enemy camps.
Though the ability to fly in Horizon Forbidden West is greatly appreciated, controlling a Sunwing is not intuitive. It would be a good idea for Guerrilla Games to refine the controls in future titles. Furthermore, Aloy should also be given the ability to use her weapons while she's mounting a Sunwing.
Mounting Sunwings in Horizon Forbidden West
Guerrilla Games’ Horizon franchise features a future dystopian world where dangerous machines roam freely. Humankind lives in primitive settlements, and the various tribes defend themselves using rudimentary and somewhat creative weapons. Players take control of Aloy, a Nora outcast who is raised by Rost. Through her adventures, she learns how to take on these machines and even how to override them and use them for her own means.
In Horizon Forbidden West, the series takes things further, giving Aloy access to new weapons. These come in handy, as there are a great variety of new machines to go up against. She also discovers how to override these new machines, and she even gains the ability to ride some of them. This includes Chargers, Bristlebacks, and Clawstriders. Toward the end of the game, Aloy also gains the ability to mount Sunwings. This is a particularly important ability, as it allows her to soar over the map. In the mission Wings of Ten, Aloy unlocks the ability and uses a Sunwing to help her defeat Regalla. Once Aloy can mount Sunwings, she gains access to a few more areas in the Forbidden West, which unlocks a couple of extra puzzles.
Controlling Sunwings in Horizon Forbidden West
In theory, piloting Sunwings in Horizon Forbidden West is relatively easy. By default, players press X to accelerate, R1 to raise their mount, and R2 to lower their mount. Circle makes their mount stop and square makes Aloy dismount. Although the controls get the job done, they can be unwieldy at times, making it difficult to get control of the flying machine. Furthermore, the machine is incredibly slow and Aloy has no combat abilities while in flight. Consequently, while mounting a Sunwing is fun, it makes Aloy an easy target, and it can be hard to make a hasty escape. Future Horizon games can improve on the Sunwing by refining the controls, making it more capable of taking sharp turns and impressive nosedives. Additionally, Aloy should be able to engage in combat while on a Sunwing’s back, making her less vulnerable while in the skies. With these additions, flying mounts would finally reach their full potential.
The ending of Horizon Forbidden West let gamers know that Aloy’s story is far from over. Nemesis is on its way to Earth, and it has plans to annihilate all humans. To defeat this terrible foe, Aloy will need all the help she can possibly muster. This could have her traveling to new lands which may require her to mount a Sunwing or even a new machine. With refined controls and expanded combat options, flying mounts in the next game could make the skies a new battlefield for players.
Horizon Forbidden West is available on PS4 and PS5.
